Finish border fencing work on war footing: Tripura CM

Agartala May 16 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has asked for the fencing work along India-Bangladesh border to be completed on a "war footing" an officials said here on Wednesday. Deb accompanied by senior officials on Tuesday visited various areas of the bordering Sonamura (in western Tripura) and held a meeting with top officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) Tripura Police and district administration. He also reviewed the progress of work on the barbed wire border fencing."In the review meeting the Chief Minister has asked the senior officials and construction companies to complete the works of border fencing along India-Bangladesh frontier " an official of Sepahijala district administration said.Deb who also holds the home portfolio asked the officials not to tolerate any obstruction during the border construction work.The officials apprised the Chief Minister that land acquisition has been completed. The fencing would be single-line in some parts and double-line in other portions.Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla and Inspector General of BSF Hemant Kumar Lohia among other officers accompanied the Chief Minister during his visit to the border areas.After the meeting Deb told the media that he would take up the matter with the Central government to ensure expeditious work on the border fencing."Tripura s border areas with Bangladesh in some parts are still unfenced at Sepahijala and Dhalai districts " a home department official said.The government has completed over 90 per cent of fencing work along Tripura s 856 km international border with Bangladesh.The Tripura home department said houses homesteads farm land and various others properties of a large number of families have fallen on the other side of the fence resulting in numerous problems including uncertainty and insecurity.The Indian side of the International Border passes through West Bengal (2 216 km) Assam (263 km) Meghalaya (443 km) Tripura (856 km) and Mizoram (318 km).India started construction of the fence and flood lights along the 4 096-km India-Bangladesh border around 22 years ago to curb cross-border movement of terrorists stop infiltration and check various border crimes smuggling and illegal trade.The mountainous terrain dense forests riverine and other hindrances make the borders porous and vulnerable enabling militants illegal immigrants and intruders cross over without any major hurdles.